TorGuard Review

Despite the name, TorGuard doesn’t actually have anything to do with TOR or any other proxy service that people use to access the deep web.

TorGuard VPN was essentially made for torrenting, but has now grown to bigger global VPN service that is being used a lot.

Now that we have that out of the way, I can start talking about whether or not it’s a good VPN.

Is TorGuard worth using? Let’s find out…

Rated #15 out of 78 VPNs

Speed test: average

Usability: 3/5

Logging policy: No logging policy

Netflix: Yes

Torrenting: Yes

Cost: $4.17/mo and up

TorGuard Pros +

1. Packed with Essential and Important Features

TorGuard comes with many important features and perks, such as:

Anonymous IP

Torrenting allowed

5 simultaneous connections

OpenVPN/PPTP/L2TP/IPsec/SSTP/iKEV2 protocols

3000+ servers

55 countries (last verified on 16th of March 2019)

Of course, all the convenient features in the world won’t help you if your VPN isn’t secure. Fortunately, TorGuard employs some of the best modern technology for keeping your data safe.

First, it supports a wide variety of VPN protocols: OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, and iKEV2. So if you need to switch to another protocol, or you just prefer not to use the industry-standard OpenVPN, you have plenty of choices. (Of course, I generally recommend OpenVPN if you can use it.)

You can also use AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard for strong protection. There are other options if you want them, but using 256-bit encryption is your best bet for staying secure.

TorGuard’s secure DNS servers and built-in DNS and IPv6 leak protection add another level of security. While some VPNs tell you to turn off IPv6, TorGuard has a built-in option for preventing leaks, saving you the hassle of figuring out how to dig into your computer’s settings to make the tweaks. That’s something I really like to see.

You also have the option to completely turn off your internet connection when TorGuard isn’t running to ensure that you’re always protected when you’re on the internet. No more forgetting to turn on your VPN!

And finally, you can use TorGuard on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Ubuntu, Chrome, Firefox, and both DD-WRT and Tomato routers. No matter where your traffic is coming from, you can protect it with TorGuard.

2. Solid Speed Performance

In our tests on a 100 Mbps connection, TorGuard managed to pull a respectable 54 Mbps download speed. That’s not the fastest out there, but it’s fast enough for just about anything you might need. Here are the results of our tests on various worldwide servers:

US Server (New York)

Ping: 120ms

Download: 31.66 Mbps

Upload: 31.16 Mbps

EU Server (Amsterdam)

Ping: 40ms

Download: 53.83 Mbps

Upload: 49.31 Mbps

Asia Server (Hong Kong)

Ping: 296ms

Download: 9.59 Mbps

Upload: 12.62 Mbps

UK Server (London)

Ping: 46ms

Download: 38.56 Mbps

Upload: 47.78 Mbps

The Hong-Kong-based server suffered a lot in download speed, so if you plan on routing through Asian servers, you may want to take that into account. Otherwise, the numbers are pretty good all around.

3. Commitment to Torrenting

Lots of people use VPNs for torrenting, but it can be difficult to know whether or not you could be punished for it. No VPN provider is going to intentionally shield illegal activity, but some are more torrent-positive than others. TorGuard is one of them—it’s right in the name.

The fact that you can get a bundle with a proxy meant solely for torrenting at higher speeds than you might get on a VPN is indicative of the company’s dedication.

TorGuard also states that their servers are “optimized for the best possible performance when downloading torrents.” They don’t say what that means, and there’s a decent chance that it’s just marketing-speak, but it’s still a good sign.

And while it’s difficult to tell how many servers and how many countries TorGuard represents (because there are different numbers all over their website), they do have a wide international selection, which should help you optimize your torrent speeds.

4. Dedicated IP Addresses for Streaming

If you plan on using TorGuard for getting access to Netflix or another streaming service, you can take advantage of their dedicated IP addresses. This lets you access the streaming service from an IP address not linked to TorGuard… which means you should get very consistent access without proxy errors.

That’s great, right?

Yes, but it’s going to cost you. When you pay for your VPN, you can choose a dedicated IP address as an add-on for an additional $16.

It’s not a lot, but it does add to the bill. That could be considered a positive thing, because the dedicated IP address is extremely useful; but other VPNs offer successful Netflix streaming without the extra cost. So you’ll have to weigh the cost for yourself.

5. Solid Security and Stealthing

A range of VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, solid encryption, and the ability to disguise VPN traffic as regular traffic to get around VPN blockers all make this a good choice for anyone worried about surveillance or censorship. Hiding your VPN traffic isn’t always 100% effective, but I like to see VPNs giving it a shot.

It also tends to help with things like streaming Netflix in other countries.

6. No Leaks Detected

TorGuard is another leak-free VPN according to our tests.

We put it through the same series of checks that all of our VPNs face. And TorGuard passed with flying colors.

This is clearly a company that cares about leaks. They’ve gone out of their way to create a secure product, and backed that up with a built-in kill switch. Think of a kill-switch like an escape pod on a starship. (Where you Trekkies at?)

If the ship comes under fire, the crew is jettisoned to safety using the escape pod. A kill-switch is a similar concept. If a leak is detected, the kill-switch activates, ending your session and preserving the integrity of your browsing.

Plus, the installation files were also as clean as they come!

7. No Logging

Taken from their FAQ page

TorGuard is very clear about its logging policy:

TorGuard.net does not store or log any traffic or usage from its Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Proxy.

The service collects information from you when you buy their products, but that’s it. Which means they won’t be selling your information to advertisers or handing it over, even if law enforcement shows up with a warrant.

And while it wasn’t easy to find out where TorGuard is headquartered (and can’t actually be confirmed), I found out that they’re located in the US, Florida which makes me scratch my head a little…

8. 24/7 Live Customer Support

There are few things that I hate more than sucky customer service.

I have (quite literally) boycotted brands with high-quality products simply because I found their customer service to be ineffective and downright rude.

Luckily, the customer service offered by TorGuard is some of the best that I have seen in the industry. They offer 24/7 support through a call center, live chat, and support tickets.

And unlike some companies in the industry (PIA) TorGuard actually offers 24/7 support, not just a glorified support ticket system.

I decided to test out TorGuard’s 24/7 live chat system for myself to see if they can live up to their promises and I was pleasantly surprised.

At around 7:37 p.m. my time, I submitted a generic support query to gauge the companies response time. And only 5 minutes later, I was pleasantly surprised to receive the following response.

While their support team might not be quite as fast as Buffered or ExpressVPN, if you can stomach the 5 minute wait time, TorGuard provides excellent and efficient customer service that sets a benchmark for the entire industry.

9. Netflix Will Cost Extra, But One Out of Four Worked

Their basic VPN doesn’t work with Netflix (nor does their proxy service).

It’s a shame because when I was using their VPN, I couldn’t get access to Netflix either. I got the following error:

When I contacted their customer support, they told me that I need to buy “dedicated IP” which cost $7.99/mo extra in addition to the expensive VPN.

Seriously?

Almost $30/mo just to access Netflix which you can do with NordVPN and it only costs $2.99.

Here’s what the support agent wrote me:

Ok. But here’s the issue.

It still didn’t work on the following servers:

United States: Dallas

Canada

Netherlands

United Kingdom

To end on a positive, we did get the New York server working properly. That’s why this is still listed here under the Pros, despite only getting 1/4 working.

You’d expect a better ratio for the up-sell, though. So I’d recommend checking out the best Netflix VPNs we’ve found if that’s your selling point.

TorGuard Cons –

1. Potentially Stolen Code

Back in 2015, VPN.ac posted a detailed blog about the similarities between their own browser extension and TorGuard’s extension. The code was almost exactly the same, suggesting that TorGuard may have copied it.

However, VPN.ac also pointed out that TorGuard’s version of the extension had some notable security vulnerabilities that weren’t present in their own extension. These vulnerabilities could have led to users’ data being leaked. Fortunately, that didn’t happen (as far as anyone knows, anyway).

TorGuard quickly made some changes to their extension, but never made any satisfying public comment to explain their actions or apologize.

While this particular lapse in judgment isn’t likely to affect your security or privacy when using TorGuard, it’s still worrying. If they incorrectly copied the code from one company, they could do it again. It seems unlikely that they’d make the same mistake twice, but it wouldn’t be the first time.

You’ll just have to decide for yourself how big of a deal this one is.

2. Third-Party Apps Required on iOS and Android

To use TorGuard’s VPN services on your mobile device, you’ll need either the iOS or Android app. But you’ll also need the OpenVPN Connect app.

Is that a big deal? No, probably not. But the fact that you need an entirely different app to get the VPN to work is annoying, and it adds another step to what we’d prefer to be a very simple process. Other VPNs that offer mobile apps usually find a way to make them work without requiring a third-party app.

3. Jurisdiction Inside 14-Eyes

As I mentioned a moment ago, TorGuard is a VPN provider and has nothing to with TOR, the deep web browser. TorGuard states that the “Tor” in their name is a reference to torrents, and protecting your computer while you use BitTorrent.

However, TorGuard appears to be owned by a company called VPNetworks LLC:

Vpnetworks, LLC
618 E South St
Orlando, FL 32801

Sadly, this means they’re located in the US that can request VPN companies to handle over the information they have about their clients (hint: HideMyAss).

It’s much safer to use a VPN that is located in the BVI, Panama or even Switzerland.

TorGuard Pricing, Plans & Facts

It’s not easy to find all of these prices on the TorGuard website, and if you want to purchase a bundle plan for more than a month, you may find it difficult. But if you get in touch with TorGuard’s customer support, they should be able to hook you up with the plan you’re looking for.

As you might expect, the biennial plan is the most economical, working out to just over $4 per month. Payment methods are done through PayPal, Credit Cards, Cryptocurrency, and more.

All in all, TorGuard has solid prices. They’re not the cheapest, but they’re not the most expensive, either. If you want a proxy in addition to your VPN, this is a tough service to beat.

All of their plans come with a 7-day money back guarantee. Here’s a quick recap of what you can expect from TorGuard:

No logging: Yes.

Ease of the VPN software: Not the best usability, a bit old school 3/5.

Hidden fees & clauses: None.

Upsells: Proxy and Anonymous email upsells.

Instant access after payment: Took ~20min to verify PayPal payment.

DNS leaks: None.

Jurisdiction: Florida, US.

Protocols: OpenVPN, IPSec, PPTP & L2TP.

Kill-switch: Yes.

Do I Recommend TorGuard?

Despite a number of notable strengths, I don’t recommend using TorGuard.

On the other hand, I don’t caution you against using it, either. It’s not that TorGuard is bad; it’s just that there are a lot of VPNs out there that are better.

TorGuard has great security, but so do most other major VPNs. It has decent speed, whereas you can get blazing fast speeds if you get the right provider. Its prices are good, but not great. It supports torrenting, which is nice, but will cost you extra if you want a dedicated IP address for Netflix streaming (and still only 1/4 worked). Then there are the inconveniences (and potential immoralities) in the cons column.

Alternative VPNs

We’re sure the TorGuard team is trying to hard to put out the best product they possibly can. And I applaud them for that. But it’s not quite there yet, especially at the price they charge. It’s possible that focusing on proxies, a VPN, and a secure email service makes it more difficult to perfect any one of those systems.

Add your own review

Have you ever used TorGuard before? If so, what was your experience like? I’m always interested to hear what other enthusiasts have to say about the VPNs that I review! Let me know below.

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13 user reviews for TorGuard

Dave 1/10May 27, 2019

Poor service

I used TorGuard for more than a year, and recently during evenings and weekends it just slowed right down to under 2mb. I tried contacting their support, but just got back very sarcastic responses they were not interested in helping at all. It was all “must be your fault” no customer service at all. I switched to a bigger provider, and I’m paying less than half the price and it’s almost double the speed. TorGuard needs some more servers, to tell you when they are overloaded and some customer support. If I could go back I would probably pick any other vpn within reason.

Neil Smith 9/10November 9, 2018

Excellent

Excellent and finally a solution that works for me. In the UK and wanted to be behind a UK server at router level and still have access to ALL streaming sites on ALL devices. No VPN providers could offer this (including the much hyped NORD) as shared IPs are constantly being blocked. I added their streaming IP to their VPN product, got 50% off the whole package and I'm done. My own IP at router level and the speed is probably at 90% of what it should be at. NOTE that the router needs to powerful enough to handle the encryption (I have an Asus AC86U) - its not always the VPN providers fault. So very happy indeed. Oh and they even throw in a free entry level router for free 🙂

Jose Robles 5/10October 24, 2018

Tor Guard

This VPN has serious troubles when using ESET firewall. I doesn't do well even when registering it as a exception in the firewall rules. It's necessary to delete the whole ESET solution in order to use the VPN which is ridiculous since most VPNs seem to work good with ESET. I won't recommend it if you have ESET installed in your machine.

Roland 10/10October 6, 2018

The Best VPN Experience I Have Ever Had!

Very disappointed that you are not recommending TorGuard (Is it because NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer bigger affiliate payouts?) Seriously though, I have used Private Internet Acess for 3 years and finding TorGuard was a breath of fresh air! I have tried many VPNs and TorGuard has been the most satisfying.

"Average speeds"? LMAO, come on guys. The #1 feature for TorGuard IS their speed! In fact, PC Mag's most recent VPN review has crowned TorGuard as the fastest VPN as of 10/05/2018, outpacing NordVPN, ExpressVPN, TunnelBear, and Private Internet Access!

As far as the "14 Eyes" go, I completely get this concern but when you have a real no logging policy, there is no identifiable info to hand over whether it's a subpoena or the dreaded National security letter.

MASSIVE, MASSIVE, TIP: Instead of using TorGuard's VPN client/software to connect to the internet, I use Viscosity, a 3rd party OpenVPN client or use Tunnelblick. The advantage of doing this is that I do not need to use TorGuard's dedicated or streaming IP Address to use Netflix!!! Without fail, every time I access Netflix it never detects that I am using a VPN 🙂

Just download the configuration files from TorGuard and upload it to Viscosity and enter in your normal username and password (YOU WELCOME).

Shadow 9/10July 29, 2018

Satisfied!

Lets not forget the most important part. Most VPN services do not cover the leaky IPV6 and so they downgrade to the IPV4 because they don't know how to fix it. One reason I use TorGuard is because they know how. Jordan (the support agent of TorGuard) knows his stuff and is very quick on setting you up for first time or anytime your not sure how something works. Though I do not recommend using uTorrent with TorGuard because there is too many backdoors in that crappy software, had them turn off the VPN a few times. Pricing could be better but their servers are stable, you get what you pay for.

AT 1/10July 27, 2018

Bad experience

Much the same experience as RJ below. They are careful to maintain a good first level front, but ticketing and second level support are very poor. They seem unwilling to acknowledge that speeds are poor even after providing proof. I bit the bullet on my remaining paid subscription and moved on. Great thing is that nowadays there are other wonderful choices for equal or better price.

RJ Anderson 1/10May 23, 2018

Support Experience = BAD!

I am a legal professional who just finished an interview and document review with a client who “tried” to work with TorGuard. After reviewing the prima facia materials involved, I could not believe what the documents illustrated. TorGuard may be a very credible VPN service but the in-depth technical support (2nd tier after Chat Line) were either non-responsive or careless in supporting my client. So I wanted to witness TorGuard support in person. & It was TERRIBLE!!

jso 2/10May 9, 2018

Slow speed issues at peak times...

I can’t recommend this one, the speed in a lot of locations seemed to suffer at peak times.

I contacted support a couple of times, they were fast to respond, but they were unwilling to help. Trying another VPN, it’s generally much faster and does not slow down much or buffer like Torguard seemed to.

Anne 10/10April 23, 2018

Much Improved

Well TorGuard was my first VPN back in the day at first it was a bit shaky, I left and came back 2 years ago and it has been rock solid ever since – you do have to pay a little more for a streaming IP to watch iPlayer or Netflix etc but i have never been blocked since then, NordVPN’s IP’s were blocked almost daily. Support is superfast, im not sure how you can get faster but it’s comforting to have that in case you do have a problem.

NN 9/10March 27, 2018

Underrated

I’m using TorGuard for several months, mainly for torrenting, I don’t use Netflix.

One important point most overlook is that TorGuard supports static port forwarding, which not many VPN providers do.

Good luck running Plex Media Server on your NAS (or anywhere else for that matter) without a port open.

You also can’t download torrents at high speeds without a listening port open. I am running Transmission with OpenVPN in a docker container on my Synology NAS, and download speeds are consistent 150-200 Mbps.

As you mentioned, some things are a bit old school and some technical know-how is required to set it up properly, but it offers more flexibility than most providers. Excellent support will help with the setup if there are problems.

Also, the 50% discount code in your screenshot still works, it brings the price down to 30$ for a year, a bargain.

Alistair 2/10November 15, 2017

Slow and bad support

I tried Torguard out for a month to torrent and get access to websites like Netflix. Unfortunatly had to uninstall because it was so slow it took an entire minute to load the site and I wasn’t able to browse properly.

The support was slow just like Torguard and I feel there’s better VPNs out there like HMA.

JC 7/10June 17, 2017

Good support

Concerning TorGuard support, I’ve never had a problem with their ticketing system. They respond back REALLY fast, and they interact with you via the ticketing to resolve the issue quickly. In my time with them (going on at least 4 years), I’ve never really had an issue with their service, but when I did, it was resolved quickly enough that I was satisfied. Their client has gotten better (it really used to suck) and their connectivity via iOS is also much improved.

Adam 8/10April 27, 2017

TorGuard is still relevant

I don’t care what anyone has to say. TorGuard is still as relevant as it has been for ages. Their product might look a bit outdated, but it’s still excellent.

They’re hands down the best VPN for torrenting. They’re fast, customer support section has always been great! I’m not moving to another provider, ever.